Dandora cleanup puts waste pickers at a crossroads as Nairobi overhauls garbage system

For years, Simon Kuria has navigated the Dandora dumpsite with an almost mystical understanding. He knows the patterns of waste accumulation, the routes taken by trucks carrying recyclable materials, and the spots where potential profits lie. This knowledge, which has sustained him and his family, has been built on a foundation of street-level survival rather than formal contracts or job security.

When Nairobi began its ambitious plan to overhaul the dumpsite, Kuria initially feared that his way of life would be upended. "We thought they were taking away our jobs," he confessed. However, his concerns have evolved into a more nuanced predicament. While he appreciates the cleaner environment, he worries about the potential reduction in available waste for thousands of informal workers who have built their livelihoods around the dumpsite.

This conflict encapsulates Nairobi's most pressing challenge: cleaning up Dandora without leaving behind the people whose livelihoods are intertwined with its waste. The dumpsite receives between 2,000 to 3,000 tonnes of waste daily, a volume far exceeding its original design capacity. For decades, an informal economy has flourished around this waste, connecting pickers to dealers, transporters, storage sites, and recycling markets.

According to the Nairobi Recyclable Waste Association, around 3,000 families or as many as 8,000 waste pickers operate there daily. Dorcas Ligawa, a persistent participant in this ecosystem, is all too familiar with the health risks. She has suffered numerous cuts and other injuries over her four-and-a-half-year tenure, often paying for treatment herself before continuing her work.

Beyond physical injuries, the environment poses its own perils. The dumpsite's smoke and pollution have contributed to a high incidence of respiratory illnesses at Dandora One Health Centre, with more than 100 cases reported weekly. The legal system has begun to acknowledge these risks. In February, Kenya’s Environment and Land Court ruled in favor of over 1,000 waste pickers, ordering compensation for years of exposure to hazardous conditions.

This landmark decision marked a significant milestone in recognizing the informal sector's contributions and the risks they face. However, the rehabilitation process presents a new set of challenges. Sociologist Fabrizio Floris, who has studied the informal economy at Dandora, warns that simply shutting down or rehabilitating the dumpsite is not enough.

The complex network of sorting, collection, storage, transportation, and resale that waste pickers have developed cannot simply vanish overnight. For youth leader Kennedy Kariuki, this underscores the need for an inclusive approach to rehabilitation. He emphasizes that waste pickers must be involved in the planning process to avoid reproducing Dandora's issues elsewhere under a different guise.

The responsibility now falls to Zoomlion, a Ghanaian company contracted by the Nairobi County government to manage the city's solid waste system, including Dandora. The company has inherited approximately 109 illegal dumpsites and is undertaking a massive cleanup, including 24-hour operations and improved access roads. Engineer Daniel Asante, involved in the transformation of Site 41, describes the initial focus as bringing order to a chaotic system.

Trucks used to wait for hours before unloading, but now access roads and tipping platforms have been constructed to enhance efficiency. However, the reconstruction plan includes moving formal sorting and recycling operations into new facilities. The Ruai resource recovery plant, capable of processing 3,500 tonnes of waste daily, is set to open by the end of November.

This facility will eventually provide a formal setting for waste recovery, separate from the informal sorting economy that has evolved around Dandora. For Zoomlion, this transformation is about more than just aesthetics. Peter Dagadu, the company's director of operations in Kenya, emphasizes the broader goals of protecting lives, restoring productivity, and investing in Nairobi's future.

Early signs of progress are already apparent, with cleared areas beginning to reopen for small-scale economic activities. For Kuria and Ligawa, the ultimate measure of success will be a cleaner Dandora and assurance that their livelihoods will be secured. The question remains: how can Nairobi balance environmental improvement with the social and economic well-being of its most marginalized workers?